Adjustable sleeve



Oct. 27, 1942. B. M. HARRISQN ADJUSTABLE SLEEVE Filed Feb. 1s. 1942 Patented Oct. 27, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE SLEEVE Bernard M. Harrison, Baltimore, Md.

Application February 13, 1942, Serial No. 430,824

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an adjustable sleeve and cuff assembly which may be applied to all types of garments provided with sleeves, having particularly extensive application in the field of mens shirts.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an adjustable sleeve and cuff assembly presenting a conventional appearance but affording the capability of varying the length of the sleeve according to the needs of the wearer.

It is a further object of the invention to enable the adjustment of a sleeve to be made without increasing substantially the cost of the garment, which adjustment can be made conveniently by the wearer or seller of the garment following the determination of the length of sleeve desired to be had.

The present invention comprehends the sewing of a cuff at the end of the sleeve in such a manner that the sleeve presents no bulky or bulged appearance no matter how the sleeve may be conditioned for wear.

The problem solved by the present invention has been undertaken previously on many occasions, but none of the solutions of the prior art has met with commercial favor justifying the extensive adoption thereof in view of either the additional costs involved, or the undesirable structural characteristics resulting from the practices in the prior art. particular significance at the moment in View of the need for the conservation of materials and the curtailment of garment inventories by manufacturers and retailers. Furthermore, the'present invention lls a distinct need in the fitting of shirts for the men in the armed services which has met with difficulties, on account of inadequate stocks of these garments, to outfit properly the great number of men that have been called into service with their varying requirements of arm lengths corresponding to different neck sizes. While the problem of enabling an adjustment of the sleeve lengths for a given size of shirt has been sought to be solved by pleated or folded constructions and adhesively applied cuffs heretofore, no practical solution of this problem has been presented. Such a practical solution is the object of the present invention.

Other objects and purposes will appear from the more detailed description of the invention following hereinafter, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation with certain parts broken away in section of the improved sleeve and cuff assembly; and

lThe instant problem has I Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the cuff showing the adjustable sleeve on a garment before any adjustments are executed.

In the drawing a sleeve S is shown provided with a cuff C which may representv the sleeve of any piece of apparel, such as a mens or boys shirt, nurses uniform, or the like. The sleeve and cuff assembly permits an adjustment of the effective length of the sleeve to be made so that the same may be had in more than one length and in the illustrated embodiment of the invention an adjustment of the sleeve may be effected in three different lengths which may correspond, for example in a mans shirt, to lengths of 32, 33 and 34 inches. At the same time, it is the object of the invention to provide a cuff structure which assumes the appearance of a conventional sewed cuff once the adjustment is determined and completed, so that no openings in the cufi are presented giving rise to difculties in laundering and contributing to a shortening of the life of the garment.

As clearly shown in Fig. 2, the cuir is made up of an inner facing I0 and an outer facing Il sewed around the bottom and side edges thereof, 2 and 3, by a stitching Il, leaving the upper edge 4 free for connection thereto of the body of the sleeve S. The end 2| of the sleeve is sewed to the free edge 22 of the interior of the inside facing of the cuff by one or more rows of stitching 29. This attachment of the full length sleeve to the inside facing of the cuff is conventional and may be made in many different ways and by different types of seams.

The invention proceeds from the sewing of the inside facing of the cuff to the sleeve extremity by stitches 20 in providing a fold extending inwardly between the inner and outer facings of the cuff, one face of the fold adjacent the inner facing I9 of the cuff being designated 25, while the other facing of the fold is designated 26. The fold extends upwardly from its base 21 and through the space between the facings of the cuff. A readily disengageable line of stitching in the form of a common chain stitch 30 serves to sew the two layers of the sleeve at the terminals of the pleat to theY inside facing of the cuff and the withdrawal or elimination of this line of stitching results in a two inch differential of the length of the sleeve if in fact the pleat portions 25 and 26 are each one inch long. In order to provide for more than two adjustments an additional line of chain stitching 3l unites the facing 25 of the fold at an intermediate depth thereof with the inside facmg l0 of the cuff. This stitching is sewed before the stitching 30, and if more increments of adjustments are desired, the fold formed by the sections 25 and 26 may be extended further inwardly of the cuff facings, and additional increments of length may be obtained by sewing additional lines of chain stitching at spaced intervals below stitching 3l. Thus, the elimination of the chain stitching 36 at the time of purchase of the shirt transforms the sleeve, in the assumed example above, from a length of 32 inches to a length of 33 inches. The further elimination of the line of chain stitching 3l results in the full length of the sleeve of 34 inches. The cuif may be made to assume its finished appearance, as explained below, at any one of the three conditions assumed herein. Of course, the full length of thesleeve may be manufactured with longer dimensions, rendering possible the same or more increments of adjustment thereon.

A fabric strip i5 may be sewed upon the interior of the outer facing l l by one or more rows of stitches it. This fabric is surfaced with a thermoplastic cement which may be activated by heat and pressure to render the same adhesive and to bring into sealing relationship the interior of the outside facing of the cuff with the inner facing of the cuif with the fold in place Within the facings, as shown in Fig. 2, or with the fold let out partially or completely to increase the length of the sleeve, as described above. This thermoplastic cement may be any synthetic resin known in the art, such as a vinyl resin which is launder-proof, and the adhesive properties of which are not affected by repeated washings and ironings after the same has been activated into sealing engagement with the opposite facing of the cuff.

The sealing strip l 5 may be sewed to the fabric I3 representing a continuation of the outside facing Il with which is sewed the cuff lining l2 of the conventional open mesh construction. If desired, the thermoplastic cement may be applied to the upper edge of the fabric I3 directly.V

Upon the completion of the adjustment which may require the elimination of the line of stitching 3B and possibly also the elimination of the line of stitching 3i, if maximum length of the sleeve is desired, a simple pressing of the cuff with a hot iron serves to activate the thermoplastic adhesive of the strip i5 into sealing contact with the sleeve and the inner facing of the cuff to give a finished appearance to the sleeve and cui assembly with no openings in the, cuff or heavy protuberances to mar the appearance thereof. The necessary adjustments and the finishing of the cuff to a Wearing condition may be made quickly and conveniently with minimum trouble and cost to the retailer or purchaser of the garments provided with such sleeve and cuff assembly.

While I have described my invention as embodied in a specio form and as operating in a specific manner for purposes of illustration, it should be understood that I ldo not limit my invention thereto, since various modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the anneXed claims.

I claim:

l. In an adjustable sleeve and cu assembly adapted to present a conventional sewed cuff and sleeve appearance, a cuff having an outside and an inside facing with the end of the full length sleeve sewed to the free edge of the inside facing of the cuff, the sleeve being folded on itself and the fold extending inwardly of the cuff between said facings and stitched through the layers of the sleeve and said free edge of the inside facing of the cuff with a readily disengageable line of stitching, and a layer of launder-proof thermoplastic adhesive disposed at the free edge of the outside facing of the cuff upon the interior thereof adapted to be activated into permanently sealing relation with the sleeve overlying said firstmentioned free edge of the inside facing of the cuff with the alternative retention or elimination of the fold depending upon the desired length of the sleeve and cuif assembly.

2. In an adjustable sleeve and cui assembly adapted to present a conventional sewed cuff and sleeve appearance, a cuiT having an outside and an inside facing sewed to each other around three edges thereof while leaving freeY the edge vwhereat the sleeve is connected thereto, with the end of the full length sleeve sewed to the free edge of the interior of the inside facing of the cuff, the sleeve being folded on itself and the fold extending inwardly of the cuff between said facings and stitched through the layers of the sleeve and said free edge of the inside facing of the cuif With a readily disengageable line of stitching, a strip of fabric incorporating a launder-proof thermoplastic adhesive sewed upon the interior of the outside facing adjacent the free edge thereof, adapted to be activated by heat and pressure to contact in permanently sealed relation the sleeve overlying said first-mentioned free edge of the inside facing of the cuif with the alternative retention or elimination of the fold depending upon the desired length of the sleeve and cuff assembly.

3. In an adjustable sleeve and cuff assembly adapted to present a conventional sewed cuff and sleeve appearance, a cuff having an outside and an inside facing with the end of the full length sleeve sewed to thefree edge of the interior of the inside facing of the cuff, the sleeve being folded on itself and the fold extending inwardly of the cuff between said facings and stitched through the layers of the sleeve and said free edge of the inside facing of the cuff with a readily disengageable line of stitching, another line of readily disengageable stitching extending through the inside facing of said cui and only that layer of the fold immediately adjacent-l thereto at an intermediate depth of the fold, and a layer of launderproof thermoplastic adhesive disposed at the free edge of the outside facing upon the interior thereof adapted to be activated into permanently sealing relation with the sleeve overlying said firstmentioned free edge of the inside facing of the cuil with the alternative partial' retention of the fold by the elimination of said first-mentioned line of stitching only, the complete elimination of the fold by the elimination of both of said lines of stitching, or the complete retention of the fold by the retention of both lines of stitching, depending upon the desired length of the sleeve and cuff assembly.

BERNARD M. HARRISON. 

